Mathiowetz Construction begins clearing the way for the two new eastbound lanes
Initial work has begun on Minnesota State Highway #60 between Butterfield and Mountain Lake, with the official project kick-off on Monday, May 11. The section between the cities is called the “Middle Gap” of the St. James-to-Windom four-lane expansion of the highway by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Crews have been working on drainage, relocating utilities and clearing trees on the land south of the current two-lane roadway; where the two new eastbound lanes will run. Construction will continue into – and is scheduled to be completed – sometime in October.
The approximately five miles of work will include the construction of two new eastbound lanes to the south of the existing two-lane section. As well, the existing two-lane section of roadway will become the westbound lanes. Work will also be done those two current lanes, such as the repaving of existing shoulders, repairing of concrete and the lengthening of existing turn lanes. Other parts of the project will be construction of stormwater ponds and lighting. The end benefit of the construction will be improved safety and mobility.
Initially, traffic will be maintained on the existing two lanes of Highway 60 while construction of the additional two lanes takes place on the south side. A two-month detour later in the summer (June-August) will be necessary to build the connections on both ends of the project.
To accommodate this construction, the detour is tentatively planned to go south of Highway #60. In Cottonwood County, that detour will be south from Mountain Lake on Cottonwood County Road #1 approximately two miles to Cottonwood County Road #16 , east on Cottonwood County Road #16 continuing on into Watonwan County on Watonwan County Road #10, north on Watonwan County Road #5 to Butterfield and back to Highway #60.
Mathiowetz Construction of Sleepy Eye was awarded the contract for this section with a bid of $12,424,000.
The Mountain Lake-to-Windom four-lane expansion project- the West Gap” – will begin in the spring of 2017 and be completed in 2018, finally making Highway #60 from Sioux City to Minneapolis a four-lane highway. Construction on the “East Gap” of St. James-to-Butterfield was done during the 2013 and 2014 construction seasons.
The estimated total project cost for construction work on all three gaps of the St. James-to-Windom connection is $78 million.
For more detailed info go to – www.dot.state.mn.us/d7/projects/hwy60stjames/
For statewide travel information, visit www.511mn.org .
